nationals

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

na•tion•al /ˈnæʃənəl, ˈnæʃnəl/   adj. 

1. Government of, relating to, or belonging to a nation:
   a national anthem.
2. Government typical of or common to the people of a nation:
   [before a noun] national customs.

n. [countable]

3. Government a citizen of a particular nation under recognized law.
4. a national company, business, or organization.

Compare multinational. na•tion•al•ly, adv. See -nat-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

na•tion•al  (nash′ə nl, nash′nəl), adj. 

1. Government of, pertaining to, or maintained by a nation as an organized whole or independent political unit:
   national affairs.
2. Government owned, preserved, or maintained by the federal government:
   a national wildlife refuge.
3. Government peculiar or common to the whole people of a country:
   national customs.
4. Government devoted to one's own nation, its interests, etc.;
   patriotic:
   to stir up national pride.
5. Government nationalist.
6. Government concerning or encompassing an entire nation:
   a national radio network.
7. Government limited to one nation.

n. 

8. Government a citizen or subject of a particular nation who is entitled to its protection:
   U.S. nationals living abroad.
9. Often, nationals. a national competition, tournament, or the like:
   We're invited to Minneapolis for the nationals.
10. a national company or organization.

• nation + -al¹ 1590–1600

na′tion•al•ly, adv.